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MNSpeak: Talk

Clear Out The Skyways!

OK, only in St. Paul. Tonight is the Red Bull Skyway Skyride. MNSpeak has been way out in front on this issue. I'm wondering-- anyone here going? Riding? I'll be there covering it... so you can catch video after the Grammy's on the big 4.

15 Reader Comments

Dave (not verified)04:37pm
Feb 8

Cool! I can't wait to see the video.

Not2Sure (not verified)04:36pm
Feb 8

You should have covered stupor bowl IX jderusha. I'm sure you'd be happy to know top 3 finishers were milwaukee and madison couriers.

Damn cheeseheads. Do Madison people make fun of Milwaukee people?

gerg04:41pm
Feb 8

groovy! i'm so there.

think i'm going to start my spectating at the start and work my way toward the finish. do you know where you're gonna be shooting, jason? bet they're letting you onto the course... :(

jderusha04:44pm
Feb 8

Not sure-- we were told they have some areas for media to shoot. We're trying to find a volunteer to strap a camera to their helmet.

gerg04:45pm
Feb 8

jason, i know the guy who's shooting the event (still photos) for red bull and he knows a lot of the involved people at MORC too. he also might still have his helmet cam rig...

let me know if you want to get in touch with him.

Comments sponsored by
chuck06:07pm
Feb 8

wish i could be there with my cam... i'd prolly have to videotape derusha to have a different take on the whole thing. DerushaCam?

gerg06:25pm
Feb 8

i'm planning on streaking the event in such a way as to surreptitiously get myself into any footage derusha takes. so don't worry.

alexis07:47pm
Feb 8

I support DerushaCam.

Not2Sure (not verified)07:37pm
Feb 8

sorry, probably wasn't very clear jderusha. Was saying you should have covered the annual courier bike race that occured last weekend called stupor bowl previously mentioned here... I failed in my mission to be DFL again. :(

Here's a pic of the start. I may get over to spectate and drink at the skyway ride.. mountain bikes are kinda not hipster enough for me to be seen on one. fixie or nothing.

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us

jderusha10:48pm
Feb 8

Hey guys- just got back from the race-- it was cool.
Tough to get good video... obviously the race course was narrow-- really nowhere for a reporter to hide.
But Greg (gerg) did hook me up with some awesome helmet cam from a friend of his. It'll be in my story... I'll post the link when it's up... and the raw video will be in the video section of wcco.com.

jderusha11:41pm
Feb 8

Here's the direct link to the raw video. Thanks Mike! He shot this while racing... very cool!

bland (not verified)07:40am
Feb 9

I was fully intending on heading out there, it just sounded too cool not to watch... But, the vibe I got from talking to people close to the race was that spectating was only going to be allowed at the start and at the finish, anywhere else was for press only. Unauthorized spectators along the course would be asked to leave. It was being described as a non-spectator friendly event. I decided not to go. I hope that after watching the videos I don't kick myself for not even showing up.

gerg10:55am
Feb 9

Jason, that video turned out sick. Glad you were able to get your hands on it. The organizers really appreciated all the media coverage, so thanks for being able to spot something cool and be there to cover it!

Bland, too bad you didn't come down. I was feeling pretty discouraged about spectating too because of all the talk of no spectators on the course, but we got there and found we had no problem getting a ways out on the course. We hung out at one intersection for a while and there were 20 people hanging out watching. A course marshall was right there and didn't care. There were actually lots of spectators spread along the course.

Not2Sure, sounds like stuporbowl shoulda been discussed in advance on MNSpeak. This race definitely favored the rigid fixies, but the racers were largely on freeriding bikes and I think hurting because of it.

Anyway, it was pretty friggin' cool. Mayor Chris Coleman showed that there was room for two bike-riding mayors in the Twin Cities by kicking off the race with a lap on the course with his son. Pretty sweet. And the Red Bull party at McGovern's afterwards was well done... Freeskiing videos on the TVs and breakdancers entertaining the crowd.

Buck (not verified)05:18pm
Feb 13

What up guys???
glad you guys made it out!!! Sorry for the non spectator thing, had to be done for obvious reasons, we didnt want to control crowds! Thanks for respecting our requests, it went very very well for a 1st time event!

When do we get to see the footage on the tube???

Thanks
L8R
Buck
Race Organizer

gerg05:53pm
Feb 13

Buck... it was a great time. Well done. I was frankly surprised at how smoothly things seemed to go.

Looks like you missed the footage on TV... Somehow, DeRusha got it on the air for the 10:00 broadcast that evening.

But if you go to WCCO's video site and search for "skyway bike" you'll find the original helmet cam footage and the two stories that ran on WCCO that evening.

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